


unwrite these pages (replace them with our own words)

by TheRagingThespian



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-02
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-08-12 15:27:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7939726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRagingThespian/pseuds/TheRagingThespian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are very few things that can stop Lucy Lane. The flu is one of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	unwrite these pages (replace them with our own words)

**Author's Note:**

> I take prompts. Let's talk about superlane. theragingthespian.tumblr.com
> 
> title from rise against's swing life away

There are very few things that can stop Lucy Lane.

(Very few people.)

For one, Kara’s pout. It’s manipulative and used far too frequently and oh, she’s going to fall for it every time.

(No one is safe. That is the only thing that soothes Lucy’s pride whenever Kara gets the better of her, because at least she’s resisted twice. _Twice_.

Alex calls bullshit.)

Her father and sister always seem to be able to halt any thoughts or plans Lucy has. Not always for the better either. Her father brings about an instinct to stop in her tracks and turn right around.

(It’s gotten better with Lois, but her apprehension is still there.

It lessens every week when Kara nudges her phone closer, mumbling about how it’s Friday and then fleeing the room.)

But there is one thing, one thing she completely _hates_ , because she can avoid her father and sister for the most part and resist Kara- she _can_ , dammit- but the flu?

She can try and ignore it, push ahead, but that will not lessen the headache behind her eyes, the exhaustion dragging her down.

(It’s hard to accept that there’s nothing she can do about it. Wonders when her mother knew it was more than just a cold, wonders when she had to accept it. Wonders if she did.

While she hates being sick, it’s others in her life being sick that she absolutely despises, and it’s relieving that for the most part, Kara can’t get sick.)

She’s felt it for a few days. Creeping up on her, a cough here, getting tired a little earlier than normal. It was with intense dissatisfaction that she sent J’onn a message saying she wouldn’t be coming to work today.

She curls up under the blankets, stews in her own anger for an hour before she hears the sound of the door shutting. “Lucy?”

“In here.” She doesn’t bother raising her voice, not with Kara being able to hear her easily and her throat constricting with every breath.

“J’onn told me you weren’t going to the DEO. Is everything okay?” Kara steps into the bedroom and freezes. Lucy blinks and then there’s a hand sliding gently through her hair, Kara crouched down beside the bed. “What’s wrong?”

“Just sick.” Lucy sighs, ignores the nagging feeling that she has to cough in favor of Kara’s hand.

Kara frowns, other hand coming up to shove her glasses tightly against her face. “What can I- do you need,” Kara stops, shoulders jumping, “wait one second.”

Kara disappears, and it truly feels like merely one second until Kara’s nudging her. Lucy opens her eyes, “What is that?”

“A um,” Kara peers down at the print, “strip thermometer.”

“From what? The 90s?”

“Huh, maybe?” Kara waves the yellowing strip, “Eliza gave me a box of them before I moved.” Kara hums, reaching over to place it on her forehead. “Like this?”

“Yeah,” Lucy closes her eyes, “Shouldn’t you be at work?”

“No. I’ll just get Winn to tell Cat you’re sick. She’ll think I’ve been contaminated and would probably rather me not to come in.” Kara sucks in a breath, “It says one hundred.”

Lucy shrugs. She assumed she had one, because of the chills racking her frame, but she’s not sure why Kara needed the information.

Arms slip under her back and knees, lifting her out of the bed. Lucy snaps alert, gripping Kara’s shoulder, “What are you doing?”

“Taking you to the hospital?”

“No you're not.” Lucy shakes her head, “Why would you even think that?”

Kara shifts her more comfortably in her arms, eyes darting towards the door as if she hasn’t completely decided yet. “Your temperature is higher than normal,” Kara says slowly.

“ _Right_. It’s called a fever. You know that.”

“I didn’t know it could get that high.”

Her head feels heavy, and Kara’s so _warm_ , so she drops her head onto Kara’s shoulder. “Kara, it’s fine,” Lucy slides her hand to rest at the back of Kara’s neck, “Mind putting me down?”

“Right, right. Sorry.”

Lucy pulls Kara down with her, “Get in here.”

Kara plucks at her cardigan, a bright shade of blue that Lucy knows Cat couldn’t see without grimacing. “Let me change first.” It only takes a minute before Kara’s sliding up beside her.

“Glasses,” she reminds, smiling when she hears them being depositing on the table.

“I wasn’t going to forget.”  
“You totally were,” Lucy murmurs back, soaking up the warmth Kara puts off. She can already feel her eyes getting heavy as the blanket is tucked around her.

Kara’s hand curls around her shoulder as she laughs, a bright, warm sound that Lucy swears eases the tightness in her chest. Kara’s heartbeat a fast thump sounding under her ear, far more welcomed than the pounding in her head.

(She had been surprised the first time she heard it. A frantic pace at all hours.

She falls asleep to it every night now.)

* * *

Fever dreams are quite possibly the worst thing about being sick.

Disorientating and blurry, they never amount to anything pleasant.

Her mother, a star figure in most. It’s almost worse that she never saw her mother in her last moments, because her mind does it’s very best to recreate it.

(She never imagines she went peacefully.)

Kara has a place in them just as often.

(There are so many ways Kara could die. Almost has.

Kryptonite laced bullets. It's fuzzy, but she remembers firing shot after shot, Kara's face twisting up in pain.

Falling from _space_. Her powers blown from protecting her during the impact. Kara had been so still and silent on that table, fear taking a hold of her limbs for every day Kara didn't wake up.

Her mind doesn't have to work nearly as hard to create unlikely situations when her girlfriend is an _alien_ and literally anything could happen.)

All she can remember are gunshots and blood and- and this _noise_. A noise she knows, one that has her blinking blearily awake. The covers are rustling where Kara's bouncing her foot repeatedly and-

And Kara's stomach growls.

Lucy shifts, waves off Kara’s whispered apologies. Lucy squints at the clock. It’s three, far longer than she thought she’d be able to sleep. “You haven’t ate lunch?”

“Or breakfast,” Lucy’s eyes widen at that, because it’s _Kara_ , and Kara smiles in turn, “I was about to when J’onn called me.”

“You could’ve went and got something.”  
Kara’s smile turns sheepish. “Well, um, I tried,” Kara’s fingers lightly skim over her knuckles, “You’re kinda latched on to me.”

Lucy unclenches her hands from where they were grasping tightly at the sides of Kara’s shirt. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Kara’s smile is wide, but so _soft_ , and Lucy can’t help but press herself closer, feeling arms settle around her back almost immediately.

“Did you ever get sick on Krypton?”

“I don’t remember anyone getting sick really,” Kara’s fingers drum at her shoulder blades as she thinks, “they may have been separated though to prevent it from spreading.” Kara snorts, “I got a cold when I blew out my powers. That was just _awful_.”

“Welcome to the club.” Lucy breathes in deeply, sliding over and pushing at Kara’s shoulders after the world stops spinning, “Go get some food Supergirl.”

Kara pops up out of the bed. “Do you need anything?”

“Can you pick up some medicine?” Lucy rubs at her temples, closing her eyes at the sun pouring into the room.

(She had wanted to invest in shades.

But after seeing Kara sprawled out, happily dozing in the sunlight, Lucy figured she could always stand to wake up earlier anyway.)

Kara shifts her weight, enough pressure for the floors to creak. “Medicine. Right. I’ll just go- got it.”

* * *

 

It’s only an hour later, when she hears furious mumbling coming from the kitchen, does she think maybe she should have questioned Kara’s hesitance.

“What does the ‘m’ stand for again? Mega or something, right?” There’s a pause before Kara huffs. “ _No_ , I’m not trying to kill her- Alex, just tell me please.”

That’s a cue for her to intervene if she’s ever heard one. Pulling at the cover, she wraps it around her shoulders before padding lightly towards the kitchen.

“Well,” Lucy scratches at her nose, tries to gather the situation before her, “you definitely got medicine.”

Kara’s midway between emptying the bags, but honestly, she’s not sure what else could be in there, because it looks like Kara bought a whole damn pharmacy. “You didn’t,” Kara waves her hand over it all, “you didn’t specify what kind of medicine? So I just-.”

“Bought the whole shelf?”

“No,” Kara eyes widen as she freezes, “did you need bandaids?”

“I,” Lucy laughs. Kara is so earnest in everything she does, and she has to press a hand against her chest, trying to keep the affection there. “No, I think I'm alright.” Reaching out, she grabs the bottle of aspirin and shakes it, “This is all I really needed.”

“Oh.”

* * *

”Yeah, you’re right Kara, this looks bad. You know, you should probably call the general, so they can have one last argument.”

Lucy cracks one open. The sisters are standing in the doorway, Kara frantically looking back and forth between Alex and her while Alex looks far too pleased with herself. “You’re- are you kidding?”

Alex opens her mouth, but really, Kara is looking like she’s one second from flying her off again, so she interrupts, “She’s joking.” Lucy frowns. “Not that she’s any good at it.”

“Wow, Kara was right. You do look like shit.”

Lucy doesn’t honor that with a reply. Well, as long as raising her middle finger doesn’t count as a reply.

“That is- I _meant_ ,” Kara shakes her head, flicks Alex on the arm, “I said awful not- not that you look _awful_.” Kara slaps a hand to her forehead, “You’re just really pale and- well, I’ve never seen you sleep so much, and I just wanted to make sure-”

“-That I’m okay,” Lucy smiles as Kara’s frantic movements lessen, nodding along immediately.

“Yeah,” and to top it off, Kara gives her a goofy grin.

(Alex rolls her eyes at the two of them, and honestly, she can’t blame her. She knows how they are, and yet, she still can’t help returning a smile that just makes Kara’s grow even wider.)

Kara’s phone chirps, and Kara’s nose crinkles as she reads it. “I’ll be right back. It’s Winn.”

She’s surprised when Alex stays behind, waiting for Kara to leave the room before walking towards her. “How’s she been?”

“Nervous.”

Alex dips her head, gives it a little shake, “You should have seen her the first time she saw me with a hangover. She thought I was dying or something, tried to take me to the hospital.”

Lucy exhales, a laugh bubbling up in her chest. “Yeah, she tried that once today.”

“Really?” When she nods, Alex throws back her head and laughs. “We always tried to keep her busy when we were younger when one of us got sick, because the first time she just- she didn’t know what to do.” Alex sniffs and looks off to the side. Her tells when she’s uncomfortable, they both know it, but neither mentions it. “She uh, I think she was always afraid of losing someone,” Alex scratches the back of her head, “so it was easier to keep her occupied.”

“You could have at least told her a fever is okay.” Lucy makes sure to come off as snarky as she can, provide a way out of the conversation that she’s not sure either of them are comfortable with.

Alex smirks, slapping at her shoulder, “But then you wouldn’t have had such wonderful care.”

It’s meant to be a joke. She realizes that, but her eyes find Kara standing in the hall where she’s busy waving her arms while talking on the phone.

“Yeah,” she agrees, “you’re right.”

Alex sighs, but there’s a fondness to it as they both look at Kara. “Feel better Luce.”

* * *

 

She wakes up multiple times throughout the night. Chills have her seeking out all the cover despite the clamminess she feels with every movement.

Kara’s taken up the chair beside their bed, feet propped up on the edge of the bed as she types away. Cautiously asks if she’s okay every time she moves.

(It had taken her spending the night a few times to pick up on the fact that Kara doesn’t sleep much. Kara can only sleep for a certain number of hours in a day before she will resort to just flopping about the bed in frustration.

Usually, she’ll disappear sometime in the early morning, Supergirl saving the day before it’s even really began. Since she’s been sick though?

Kara hasn’t left her side.)

When she wakes for the fourth time, with the sun creeping up, Lucy realizes she feels worse than before. She’s blinking back tears before Kara can finish her same question, teeth grinding at the fact that she’s sick, that’s she’s _crying_ over it, that Kara’s face drops as soon as she looks up from her laptop.

“ _Lucy_ , what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She turns her face into her pillow, pulls the covers up over her head. “I’m sick.”

“Um yes?” The bed dips as Kara starts wiggling under the covers, brushing her hair out of her face once she gets fully under. “It takes some time to get over the flu, right?”

(That doesn’t lessen her anger.

She’s a grown woman. She should be able to get sick without thinking she’ll be overwhelmed at work when she returns. Without stressing at the fact that this wasn’t a part of her plans.

She should be able to separate the experience of simple flu from her mother’s death.)

“I just hate being sick.” Kara’s hand settles on her back, sliding up and down as she tries to catch her breath. “It makes me think,” a sob works it’s way up her throat, and oh, it _hurts_ , “of her.”

(It does. Every time.

Walking down too long corridors, a jumbled maze that she never thought she’d be in long enough to memorize. She was though.

She had never thought of her mother as frail, always as larger than life. A pair of arms always open to her or a secret grin behind her father’s back.

The doctor says it constantly. Her father does eventually as well.

She doesn’t, even when she sees her, sees her mother who’s smile is just a little dimmer while she urges everything will be okay.

It wasn’t really.)

“ _Zrhueiao_ ,” Kara whispers, hand jerking out to cradle her jaw. She’s silent for a moment, blue eyes glistening, hand jumping under her chin from stuttery breaths. Her face morphs into one of steady determination, a smile all teeth. “I’ll be right back.”

Kara jumps out, feet hitting the floor with a solid thump. Lucy throws back the covers, staring up at the ceiling as she hears Kara shuffling things around in the living room. Lucy can’t help scrambling up when Kara walks back in, the tv easily nestled under one arm.

“What are you doing?”

Kara grips the nightstand, pulling it in front of their bed. “I can’t,” there’s pain on her face then, and Lucy’s fingers twitch at thought, “I can’t _fix_ this.” She drops the tv heavily on the table, hand resting on it lightly to keep it from falling. “But being sick doesn’t- it doesn’t have to be _bad_.”

“Kara,” the blankets twist up under her hands, “it’s fine. I’m just being stupid.”

Kara’s head snaps up from looking at the wires. “No,” her hands clench and unclench, “you’re not.” Her voice is steady, leaves no room for hesitancy, and her eyes are fierce, blue holding her in place. “You’re tired and sick, but not- never stupid, Lucy,” Kara drops behind the table, wires following behind her.

“Kara,” she pauses when Kara throws herself on the bed, “jerk.” She goes to hit her shoulder, but Kara blinks up at her, grinning, and her hand changes course, slips through Kara’s hair on it’s own violation. “What’s the plan?”

“We,” and oh, sometimes she forgets Kara’s strength, but she picks her up likes it’s nothing, tucking her head up under chin, “are going to watch movies.”

They spend the rest of the day watching whatever is on. Old movies that Lucy hasn’t seen since a child. Ones Kara’s never seen before.

(Being sick isn’t nearly as bad as normal. When she used to shut herself in her room, suffering through it alone.

Kara laughs along to every line that’s long since lost its humor for her after so many viewings. She finds herself looking more at Kara than the tv.)

* * *

It’s months later when Kara blows out her powers.

In the middle of the night, she jerks awake. The room’s quiet, and she’s about to go back to sleep when-

Kara coughs.

(A panic strikes in her heart. Her hand lightly rests on Kara’s wrist, taking comfort in the steady pulse under her hand.

She never has to wonder when the next will come, a constant tap under her fingers.)

She forces herself to take a breath, keeping it even when she hears how it’s settled in Kara’s lungs with the next cough. Settling her hand over Kara’s forehead, she pulls back. Kara is always hot, but she’s _burning_ now.

It’s only after she sets a cool washcloth on Kara’s forehead does Kara shift, blue eyes looking up at her in confusion. “Hey,” Lucy says softly, thumb stroking Kara’s cheek, “go back to sleep. I’m just trying to cool you down.”

Kara’s mouth quirks upwards, “Because I’m hot?”

It startles a laugh from her. “Yeah, because you’re hot.”

She lays back down, finds a hand snaking through the sheets and grips it just as tightly as Kara does hers. It’s silent, Kara’s coughs the only thing puncturing the stillness of the night.

“Sorry,” Kara sits up, grabbing her pillow, “I’m going to sleep on the couch.”

Lucy grabs her shoulder, surprised when she can easily pull her back down. “You’re not going anywhere.”

“I don’t think I can go back to sleep.” Kara sniffs, rubs at her chest, “I feel like I can’t breathe right.”

Lucy looks around, keeps her hand on Kara’s shoulder, fingers rubbing light circles. “I’ve got an idea,” she readjusts the cloth, shakes her head at any arguments Kara’s about to make if the set of her shoulders says anything. She hums as she gets up, knows Kara’s unused the silence that is brought about from losing her powers.

She grabs Kara’s sketchbook, “Can I use a few pages?” Kara gives her a slow nod, pursing her lips when Lucy grabs the paints. “Alright,” Lucy pushes her sleeves up, sets the book more firmly in her lap, “Name something.”

Kara’s eyes twinkle even in the darkness. “Really?”

She clicks on a lamp. “Really.”

She’s not an artist by any means. The only thing she can remotely say with confidence that she can draw is a stick figure on a good day.

But Kara calls out random things, and she does her best. Sometimes not so much, just to get Kara to laugh as she spreads paint all over the page. Acts put out when Kara can’t recognize what she drew.

When Kara starts blinking repeatedly, she takes longer for the request. She finally looks up to see Kara’s asleep, and she quietly begins putting away the supplies. Makes sure to put them the way Kara had them if a little neater than before.

“Being sick isn’t so bad,” Kara mumbles once she slips back into bed.

Lucy leans down, presses a kiss to the side of Kara’s head.

“You’re right.”  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
